viernes, abril 27, 2012

In Cuba people with HIV have the right to the best possible physical and mental health.

By
Ignacio Estrada Cepero.

People affected by HIV/AIDS
have the right to the highest possible level of physical health and mental
alertness among other things “the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic
illnesses” and “the creation of conditions that assure medical assistance and
services to all in the event of illness”

In order to fulfill these
obligations in the context of HIV, the Cuban State should guarantee the
availability of information, education and adequate support with respect to
HIV, including access to treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, to the
means of prevention (for example condoms) and to voluntary tests for HIV with
counseling prior to, and after the test in order that people may protect
themselves and others from infection.

Cuba, like other nations,
should guarantee a safe blood supply and the implementation of universal
precautions to reduce transmission in settings such as hospitals, clinics,
dental services or clinics that offer acupuncture services including the same
that are outside an institutional setting.

Within these duties is also
the assurance of access to treatments and adequate medicines, within the
general public health policy, so that people living with HIV can live as long
and as well as possible. People living with HIV should also have access to
clinical trials and the ability to choose among all available drugs and
therapies, including alternative therapies.

International support, in both
public and private sectors, is essential for developing countries to have
greater access to health care, treatment, drugs and equipment. In this context,
countries are obliged to ensure that no drugs or other materials supplied are
expired, and are also obliged to permit their safe supply avoiding shortages.

It’s possible that the state
has to create special measures to insure all social groups, especially the most
marginalized and among them given the issue of HIV/AIDS in Cuba it is valid to
mention in this group the population of Cubans in prison living with HIV/AIDS,
surpassing 700 inmates. They must have
equal access to prevention services, care and treatment of HIV.

The obligations of all States
with regards to Human Rights is to prevent discrimination and to guarantee
medical care and services in case of illness, and to require them to ensure
that no one is discriminated against in the environment of health care for
their status with respect to HIV.